Hunting in SoCal

[tb42008]

Just know you better get your hike on. These deer are 7 miles from the road. View attachment 100084View attachment 100085

What zone?

 

[cmeyer733]

If you are archery hunting, I recommend looking at leftover archery tags, or something you can draw 2nd choice, or getting an AO tag so you can hunt multiple zones and seasons. Then you can use your second tag to rifle hunt a specific zone of you want. Like other have said, they are out there, get creative in scouting and get out there. Heres some deer just a couple hours from SoCal. AZ is always a good option too.

 

[Joshwalls22]

Send me a PM i could give you a few tips


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[work765]

If you are archery hunting, I recommend looking at leftover archery tags, or something you can draw 2nd choice, or getting an AO tag so you can hunt multiple zones and seasons. Then you can use your second tag to rifle hunt a specific zone of you want. Like other have said, they are out there, get creative in scouting and get out there. Heres some deer just a couple hours from SoCal. AZ is always a good option too.

These deer are in CA? Or out of state?


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[cmeyer733]

These deer are in CA? Or out of state?


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California, tag I get every year, and still build points

 

[duckhunterrr]

Send me a PM i could give you a few tips


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Would you mind if I reach out to you privately?

 

[Joshwalls22]

Would you mind if I reach out to you privately?

Yeah pm is fine


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[Ryguy]

Wondering if you ever got out to scout or archery hunt?


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[AaronMColeman]

I lived in CA for most of my life and hunted deer. It is very very difficult. I never did any real backcountry stuff...but I think that is the key. Now I'm in WY and it's like paradise

I'm not much help with big game, but birds are great fun in CA. Loads of easily accessible public land, long seasons, and multiple seasons in a lot of the state. I'd gravitate toward birds (and fishing) when I was in CA. But, deer is possible!

 

[Jeff23]

Any tips or decent spots to hunt in zone D-11? Usually just hunt the area behind Writewood, searching for a new area.

 

[D16er]

Ive lived in SoCal all my life and been hunting since 2011 and I still have A LOT to learn with regards to hunting this are. It is definitely a tough area to hunt with a low success rate. Out of the 8 years Ive been hunting I have only punched a tag twice myself, but have seen friends and family punch tags. There are a ton of forkys but if you want some bigger deer you will need to hike far from the roads.

I have recently started looking at purchasing better glass and tripods, from what I have read it is important to glass to successfully see deer. Most of my hunting has been spot and stalk as I am impatient and tend to get up and walk around which most likely causes me to bump them. This year I am making it a goal to sit and glass, hopefully this season I am succesful.

Best of luck.

 

[carpentertanner]

I’ve lived in SoCal my whole life...27 years old. I’ve killed a buck every single year here since I was 12. Some private land, some public land. I’ve put buddies on bucks frequently. There are deer...Ventura and LA County it’s all. Blacktail mix hard to find anything mid to high 20” range but still good bucks. There’s a mix of opportunities...some on the coast that require a bow and some good spots to stay overnight during rifle. Depends on what you’re lookin for. Good luck! Pic is from A Zone last month...

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[kowalski]

Awesome that you were able to get the whole buck out.

 

[Jeff23]

I’ve lived in SoCal my whole life...27 years old. I’ve killed a buck every single year here since I was 12. Some private land, some public land. I’ve put buddies on bucks frequently. There are deer...Ventura and LA County it’s all. Blacktail mix hard to find anything mid to high 20” range but still good bucks. There’s a mix of opportunities...some on the coast that require a bow and some good spots to stay overnight during rifle. Depends on what you’re lookin for. Good luck! Pic is from A Zone last month...

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Did you get this buck with rifle or bow?

 

[carpentertanner]

Did you get this buck with rifle or bow?

Rifle season


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[Jeff23]

Rifle season


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Awesome, what zone is it D-11?

 

[carpentertanner]

Awesome, what zone is it D-11?

A Zone ... Ventura county


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[Block]

It’s all about how hard you are willing to work! Plenty of people kill 2 solid bucks every year in Cali... Tho if you look at the success rates and talk to people,, most are Lucky to get 1 tiny buck every 3-5 years becuz they simply don’t put the effort in. They road hunt or walk a hiking trail on weekends.,

To give you a comparison,,, I have friends that can’t hardly kill a small forky every other year in cali,,, and they go do an Idaho OTC hunt every year and smoke a 25-28” 160+” buck every year within 3-5 days,,,

 

[Ryguy]

It’s all about how hard you are willing to work! Plenty of people kill 2 solid bucks every year in Cali... Tho if you look at the success rates and talk to people,, most are Lucky to get 1 tiny buck every 3-5 years becuz they simply don’t put the effort in. They road hunt or walk a hiking trail on weekends.,

To give you a comparison,,, I have friends that can’t hardly kill a small forky every other year in cali,,, and they go do an Idaho OTC hunt every year and smoke a 25-28” 160+” buck every year within 3-5 days,,,

Damn I’ve always wonder if I hunted the way I do out of state how I’d do. Last 3 years I got serious about deer hunting and been successful each year. Granted nothing big but I only get to hunt 2-5 days max. 2 kids under 2 makes it tough when we both work. I have seen plenty of solid bucks just never got an opportunity. Now you got me thinking where else to go


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[Block]

Damn I’ve always wonder if I hunted the way I do out of state how I’d do. Last 3 years I got serious about deer hunting and been successful each year. Granted nothing big but I only get to hunt 2-5 days max. 2 kids under 2 makes it tough when we both work. I have seen plenty of solid bucks just never got an opportunity. Now you got me thinking where else to go


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Haha yeah not to mention you can just about always see the road in the background of their pix... even just goin to Az for the archery hunt it’s amazing to see how many more animals they have then us here in cali